1967 Chevrolet Camaro Cherokee show car

[bcmiller]

Scott has posted some pics before in another thread, but this will be a thread specifically for pics of this car.  (My apologies - because I might have had your name wrong previously)

Credit for pics to GM. Date on these pics is 02/20/1967 and the location is listed as GM Design Center.

Enjoy

[bcmiller]

More

Credit for pics to GM. Date on these pics is 02/20/1967 and the location is listed as GM Design Center.

[bcmiller]

More

Credit for pics to GM. Date on these pics is 02/20/1967 and the location is listed as GM Design Center.

[bcmiller]

More

Credit for pics to GM. Date on these pics is 02/20/1967 and the location is listed as GM Design Center.

[bcmiller]

More

Credit for pics to GM. Date on the top pic is 02/20/1967 and the location is listed as GM Design Center.

Location and date of second pic is unknown.

More pics over on the SYC page at this link.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135780&page=51

[bcmiller]

The Cherokee shown here with the 1967 Chevrolet Golden Cameo show truck and another car that I can't remember the name of at the moment.  I will fix this post if I remember or find the name.

[69Z28-RS]

That might be an 'aerovette'....?

Re the 'cameo pickup'...  What information do you have on Chevy's use of the Cameo nameplate in 1967?   Chevrolet produced a special Cameo pickup model from 1955-1958, but I've never heard of even a 'show' truck with the name any other year...

[bcmiller]

Gary, let me do some checking on your questions and I will get back to you.

Jon M. reminded me what the name of the other car was the Corvair powered Astro I.
http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1967_chevrolet_astro_i/

[bcmiller]

That might be an 'aerovette'....?

Re the 'cameo pickup'...  What information do you have on Chevy's use of the Cameo nameplate in 1967?   Chevrolet produced a special Cameo pickup model from 1955-1958, but I've never heard of even a 'show' truck with the name any other year...

Some links...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=176718

[69Z28-RS]

Thanks Bryon for the additional information on the '67 'golden cameo' show truck...  I'd never heard of that one before...

[SMKZ28]

For more pictures and information on the Golden Cameo and Californian Camaro see the following portions of my thread on 1966/1967 Auto Shows:

Replies #32 and #33 on page 3: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.30

Replies #48 and #57 on page 4: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.45

Reply #73 on page 5: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.60

Replies #75 and #82 on page 6: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.75


Bryon, are you going to make a thread on the Californian Camaro?  I hope your GM contacts have some more pictures of this car.

[SMKZ28]

Thanks for posting these photos of what is most likely the first of two Cherokee show cars.  There are several photos that I have never seen before.  Love it!  I'm really glad you posted the interior shot confirming that this early car was in fact equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and roll-up windows.  I am also intrigued to see that in all of the shots of the car inside the GM Design Center there is no mention of the name "Cherokee" anywhere on the car or on the front or back license plates.  Interesting that it just says "1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396".  Five days after these pictures were taken this concept Camaro would be shown to the public at the Chicago Auto Show which was held Saturday, February 25th through Sunday, March 5th, 1967.  At this show the car would be wearing a different set of license plates which are not the same as the one's in your photos dated 2/20/67 nor do they mention the name "Cherokee".  Unfortunately I have yet to decipher just what name the car was given for this appearance.  It wasn't until the New York Auto Show which took place Saturday, April 1st through Sunday, April 9th, 1967 that the name "Cherokee" is displayed on the Camaro.

Please check out other questions, pictures and information concerning this Camaro concept/show car (Cherokee #1) in my thread on 1966/1967 Auto Shows. 

Replies #51 through 56 on page 4: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.45

Reply #74 on page 5: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.60

Replies #76 and #82 on page 6: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.75

Replies #93 and #94 on page 7: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.90


These are the photos that show the undecipherable name given to the car at the Chicago Auto Show. Can anyone figure it out??  As I stated in my other thread, I initially thought it said "Carnival" but I can not be sure because of the cursive writing.  It certainly does not say Cherokee.

[SMKZ28]

Bryon, did your contacts at GM have any pictures or information on the 2nd Camaro Cherokee Concept/Show car?  This is the car that was used to pace the Can Am races and still exists today.  It differed from the one in your pictures by having a black interior, hood mounted tachometer, different wheels, soft boot, automatic transmission, gold pin striping, lack of white nose/side stripe, rear license plate light and a different size & shaped gas cap at the rear.  This 2nd Cherokee was produced sometime between June and August of 1967.

You can see pictures and information on this 2nd Camaro Cherokee in my thread on 1966/1967 Auto Shows:

Replies #98-104 on page 7: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.90

Replies #105-107, #111-117, and #119 on page 8: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.105

Reply #120 on page 9: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=16296.120


It also appears made an appearance at the 1968 Meadowdale Trans Am race.  See pictures/video in the Trans Am pace car thread here:

Reply #260 on page 18: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=8318.255

[SMKZ28]

Bryon, was there a label on the pictures taken inside the GM Design Center on 2/20/67 giving the title/name of the Camaro?  In a past thread you mentioned that the pictures of the Lilac Camaro did have the label "Berlinetta" on them.  I was wondering what these photos were labeled?

Also do you happen to know what the sticker on the passenger side of the windshield says in your picture showing the frontal view of the car in the Design Center in reply #1?

[KurtS]

Could the plate say Camaro Custom?

[69Z28-RS]

that second word looks more like 'Conversion' to me....  'Camaro Conversion' ...

[bcmiller]

Did not see any pics of the second car.

I will have to go back and look for sure, but I believe they were labeled the same as the title of the thread.

[Jon Mello]

Might be Cardinal since that is the Illinois state bird, the car is all red, and it's at the Chicago auto show.

I do prefer this earlier car in all red with the nice top well cover and the four speed.

[crossboss]

Might be Cardinal since that is the Illinois state bird, the car is all red, and it's at the Chicago auto show.

I do prefer this earlier car in all red with the nice top well cover and the four speed.

+1. I think Jon has made a very logical comment. Btw, thanks for posting the neat concept/show cars!

[SMKZ28]

It is funny how several different people can look at the same image of a word and see different things.  The same thing happened in the other thread with the 1967 pace car on the used car lot.  I guess that's why it's so hard to nail down exactly what it is when there hasn't been any other evidence come to light.

Jon, it looks like it could be "Cardinal" and the logic behind it makes sense.  I'm from Illinois and I seem to remember you mentioning that you grew up here as well.

I wonder then why they changed the name to Cherokee for the New York Auto Show and beyond.     


By the way, the Corvair powered Astro 1 that appears in the photo with the Golden Cameo and Cherokee would debut at the New York Auto Show in April 1967.

[SMKZ28]

I just wanted to make sure everyone saw this fantastic photo of the what is probably the first Cherokee being constructed.  The second Cherokee was originally painted white, which this car obviously is not.

Notice the drawings of the car in the background on the wall.  It looks like they originally intended the car to have round exhaust tips coming through the rear valence.  It also looks like they were going to add a type of roll bar structure to the car.  This feature obviously never made it on to either the first or the second Cherokee but it looks similar to how this section of the 1968 Camaro Caribe Concept/Show car would look.

[Jon Mello]

Scott, yes I did spend some of my growing up years back in Illinois so you did remember correctly.

I don't know why they changed the name. Maybe somebody within Chevrolet didn't like it or it didn't test well at the Chicago auto show? Joie Chitwood drove Chevrolets in his stunt shows for many years by this time and Joie was known as the "Chargin' Cherokee" even though he was not an Indian. The Chargin' Cherokee name was painted on the side of Joie Chitwood Jr's Camaro at the Trans-Am races during this time and maybe that influenced the name change.

The round exhaust holes in the rear panel were easy enough to draw in but they would have had to make a much smaller gas tank to make room and they also would have eliminated the backup lights.

[bcmiller]

I don't know what it says on the plate in the pics you posted, but here is a closer up pic of the plate on the outdoor pic that did not have a date. This one clearly says Camaro Cherokee.

I could not figure out what was on the larger rectangular sticker on the windshield.  The smaller one has "K-22"

I asked but no pics of the yellow Camaro were available. I thought I had seen that car referenced as the Golden Camaro - like of similar to the Golden Cameo pickup.

[crossboss]

I don't know what it says on the plate in the pics you posted, but here is a closer up pic of the plate on the outdoor pic that did not have a date. This only clearly says Camaro Cherokee.

I could not figure out what was on the larger rectangular sticker on the windshield.  The smaller one has "K-22"

I asked but no pics of the yellow Camaro were available. I thought I had seen that car referenced as the Golden Camaro - like of similar to the Golden Cameo pickup.

Does this Camaro have what appears to be a Corvette like 'duck tail' spoiler?

[Jon Mello]

Yes, it does have a duck tail spoiler and this would have been a half year or so in advance of the '68 Corvette coming out which featured that look very prominently.

I think this is the first time I noticed a line in the rear quarter showing the rear duck tail is done in a separate end cap like Ford did with their Mustang and other cars. It does not appear to be a piece that attaches over the top of the stock quarter panel.

[crossboss]

Yes, it does have a duck tail spoiler and this would have been a half year or so in advance of the '68 Corvette coming out which featured that look very prominently.

I think this is the first time I noticed a line in the rear quarter showing the rear duck tail is done in a separate end cap like Ford did with their Mustang and other cars. It does not appear to be a piece that attaches over the top of the stock quarter panel.

Jon,
Yes, I agree it has an end cap. Also, after close inspection, does it appear to have the Corvette's rear bumper?? Neat concept.

[Jon Mello]

No Scott, I believe these bumpers are unique to the car and not borrowed from the Corvette line.

[Vince]

What about Camaro Cruisin or Cruising for the plate?

[Jon Mello]

These are the photos that show the undecipherable name given to the car at the Chicago Auto Show. Can anyone figure it out??  As I stated in my other thread, I initially thought it said "Carnival" but I can not be sure because of the cursive writing.  It certainly does not say Cherokee.

The more I look at it I think it does say Carnival.

[Vince]

I think I agree with you Jon.

[SMKZ28]

Just found this cool color photo of the 1st Cherokee at what looks to be the Chevrolet display at the 1967 New York International Auto Show.  On the left side of the photo you can see a yellow blur.  This must have been The Californian Camaro, which from previously posted pictures occupies the same spot in the display. 

I found it here: https://www.chairish.com/product/1442344/1967-1968-car-show-snap-shots-collection-of-47-pictures

[crossboss]

Also dig that wild Corvette, and what appears to be a sneak peek at the upcoming 1970 Chevelle?

[maroman]

I remember sitting in a Corvette somewhat like this around this time at Harrisburg,Pa. show. What rings a bell, it didn't have a rear view mirror, it had a camera. Now 50 years later we have that. Just wish I had taken pictures or didn't have CRS.

[SMKZ28]

Also dig that wild Corvette, and what appears to be a sneak peek at the upcoming 1970 Chevelle?

I believe the car below the Cherokee is a 1967 Buick Wildcat and the concept car next to the Cherokee is the Chevrolet Astro 1

[crossboss]

Also dig that wild Corvette, and what appears to be a sneak peek at the upcoming 1970 Chevelle?

I believe the car below the Cherokee is a 1967 Buick Wildcat and the concept car next to the Cherokee is the Chevrolet Astro 1

Yes, I did 'think' Buick at first, however the grille looks like a '70 Chevelle. Totally forgot about the Astro, thanks for the memory jog!

[group/7]

Cherokee at the N.Y. show '67, from the French magazine L'automobile, May '67 issue.

Mike

Tried to make it as small as possible, still too big 

[Jon Mello]

Smaller size

[SMKZ28]

Here are a couple of pictures of the 1st Camaro Cherokee that I had not seen before.  Notice that it is sitting in a display with an attached sign similar to the one shown in the third picture.  I believe that this picture might have been taken in the East Exhibit Hall of the General Motors Building sometime between May 12th and May 24th of 1967 (see fourth photo of newspaper clipping).  If this is true than the car sitting behind the Cherokee is the "Capella, a specially trimmed Caprice coupe."

Images:
1/2: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/334308821546204
3: http://www.pilotcarregistry.com/rare-vintage-photos.html
4: https://www.yenko.net/forum/

[SMKZ28]

More photos taken at the same location as the two previously posted ones.  Notice the Golden Cameo and the front of the Californian in the background.

worthpoint.com

[SMKZ28]

Check out these fantastic design proposals for the Camaro Cherokee.  They came from the the GM Design Archive & Special Collections and were posted on the General Motors Design Center Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/CC57aUlpl5V/

[camaronut]

Shame there's no 1/18scale Diecast of this car.
It would be a hit for sure.

[MO]

I like the split bumper look.